Understanding the Wipeout Feature in MicroStation
Effective design and drafting often require a means to obscure certain elements in your drawings temporarily. MicroStation provides a powerful tool known as the Wipeout feature, which allows users to cover objects or areas within a drawing. This guide outlines how to utilize the Wipeout feature step-by-step, enhancing your control over what is visible in your workspace.
What is Wipeout?
Wipeout creates an opaque area, effectively hiding underlying elements. This tool is particularly useful when overlapping text or lines need to be concealed, allowing for a cleaner presentation without permanently erasing existing content. It acts like a mask, making it easier to focus on essential components of your design.
Accessing the Wipeout Tool
Open Your Drawing: Launch MicroStation and load the drawing file where you want to apply the wipeout feature.
Navigate to the Drawing Tools: Locate the drawing tools in the Application menu. Click on ‘Annotate’ or find the ‘Drawing’ tab, depending on your version of MicroStation.
- Select Wipeout Tool: Within the drawing tools menu, look for the Wipeout command. This may be represented as a specific icon or listed under a dropdown menu.
Creating a Wipeout
Draw the Wipeout Area: After selecting the Wipeout tool, you’ll need to specify the area you want to cover. Click to define points on the perimeter of the shape you want to create; this forms a polygon around the elements you wish to mask.
Close the Shape: Once you’ve defined your points, ensure you close the shape by either returning to the starting point or right-clicking to complete the polygon.
- Adjust Properties: You can modify the properties of your Wipeout area. Access the properties panel to change aspects like color, transparency, or line style to suit your requirements.
Modifying Wipeouts
Select the Wipeout: Click on the wipeout area to select it. You’ll see handles appearing around the polygon.
Reshape or Resize: If adjustments are necessary, you can drag the handles to resize or reshape the area as needed.
- Delete or Move: If you need to remove the wipeout or relocate it, simply select the area and then press the Delete key or drag it to a new position.
Viewing Wipeouts
Preview Wipeouts: Wipeouts can sometimes be hidden in certain views. Change your view settings if you’re not seeing them. Ensure that the Wipeout displays are activated in your view settings.
- Check for Completeness: Zoom into the areas where you applied the wipeout to ensure that it effectively concealed the elements underneath as intended.
Utilizing Wipeouts in Practice
Using wipeout effectively can create a cleaner visual hierarchy in your drawings. Wipeouts can be particularly beneficial for presentations or when collaborating with others, allowing stakeholders to focus on relevant information without distraction.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Can wipeout objects be undone?
Yes, you can undo a wipeout action just like any other drawing command in MicroStation. Use the Undo feature from the Edit menu to reverse the last command.
2. Will wipeouts affect printing or exporting my drawing?
When printed or exported, wipeouts typically remain intact, which means they will continue to obscure the elements beneath them. Always perform a print preview to confirm their appearance.
3. Are there limitations to the size of a wipeout?
While there isn’t a hard limit on the size of a wipeout, extremely large or complex shapes may impact performance. It’s advisable to keep wipeout shapes within reasonable dimensions for optimal results.
